The National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) and the Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA) have said the two agencies have begun moves to upgrade its facilities and safety standard with a view to sanitizing water transportation in Lagos State.
This is even as Water Hyacinth Plastics litters and Derelicts have taken over the Lagos waters, our correspondent who visited some part of Lagos via ferry observed that the presence of Seaweed – better known as Water hyacinth is currently dampening the effort of waterways transportation in the state.
The plants which are currently very visible on waterways particularly the CMS– Apapa area Oworonshoki, Mile 2 and Epe axis most often cause mechanical problems to the propulsion system of boats and ferries thus causing slow movement of ferries on the waterways.
However speaking recently with our correspondent the Lagos Area Manager of NIWA, Engr. Sarat Braimah informed our correspondent that in efforts to make the waterways transportation in the state safer and a preferred choice for travelers in the shortest possible time she said the authority has started clearing the hyacinth, plastics litters that were formerly seen on the waterways while noting that the efforts were part of measures NIWA was putting in place to make Inland Waterways transportation a preferred transport means in the shortest possible time in the country.
According to her “We have started clearing the hyacinth and the litters, we started from Epe and we move to Badore and we are moving to Banana Island tomorrow (Friday 27/02/2020) and in no sooner time we will finish the clean up.
“So these are part of measures NIWA is putting in place to make Inland waterways transportation a preferred transport means in the shortest possible time in the country” she said.
Also speaking with our correspondent, the Public Relation Officer of LASWA, Mrs. Nkechi Ajayi said the authority has also taken the clearing of water hyacinth as a serious assignment adding that the authority began a campaign against dumping of refuse and litters on the waters two weeks ago
She informed that the Authority already had a rsesearcher working on how to combat the litters on the waterways
She further said the authority has been moving from one market to the other in the state sensitizing market women on how to properly dispose their waste products.
In her words “Last year the authority carried out the clearing of water hyacinth in Ikorodu, and the Bariga axis, and on the litters we had a cleanup campaign last two weeks ago, where the governor was represented by the commissioner of transportation and we went to four locations on the cleanup campaign regards litters on the waterways.
“Already we have somebody doing a research on how these litters can be combated so the authority has been in the forefront of the campaign and we are also basically sensitizing the public on proper despotion because we realized that most of the litters on the waterways is coming from the land so we went to Ebute Ero, we went to the market place to sensitize the people on how to properly trash their litters and more so we are also working with the Ministry transportation and other agencies on how to make our waters safer” she said.
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